Bicycle stands are well known in the art and can generally be divided into two broad categories including stands that place a support leg on both sides of a bicycle to hold the bicycle in a near vertical position when parked on flat ground and stands that place a support leg on one side of a bicycle upon which the bicycle leans.
Examples of prior art bicycle stands that are permanently mounted to a bicycle are evident in both categories. Most mimic a traditional kickstand with a pivoting leg that is disposed vertically for use and horizontally when not needed. Dickmann (U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,230); Hsu (U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,786); Henderson (U.S. Pat. No. 1,584,096); Pawset (U.S. Pat. No. 2,202,426); Weissenberger (U.S. Pat. No. D317,143); Miller (U.S. Pat. No. 2,268,051); and Smart (U.S. Pat. No. 495,914) are examples. The bicycle stands provided in these references suffer from a number of problems, including but not limited to, added weight; a danger of the stand contacting the ground while operating the bicycle; a lack of style that appeals to modern cyclists; and permanence. Accordingly, despite being useful and often desired, most serious bicyclists do not have kickstands on their bicycles and instead lean bicycles against walls or against the ground.
Examples of prior art bicycle stands that are removably coupled to a bicycle are also evident in both categories. References that provide removable support legs for both sides of a bicycle include Townsend (U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,637); Marchello (U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,320); Fierstein (U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,593); and Lee (U.S. Pat. No. 653,681). However, the bicycle stands provided in these references suffer from a number of deficiencies, including but not limited to being overly complicated, difficult to use, large and non-portable, and limited to use on level ground. References that provide a removable support leg for one side of a bicycle include Fales (U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,346); Cook (U.S. Pat. No. 1,227,390); Copple (U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,180); Egloff (U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,180); Shipman (U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,603); Greenfield (U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,238); and Greenfield (U.S. Pat. No. D350,089). However, the bicycle stands provided in these references suffer from a number of deficiencies, including but not limited to supporting a bicycle below its center of gravity, being constructed from heavy and dense materials, being too long for convenient portability, being limited to a fixed angle of support, requiring a mounting structure to be pre-attached to a bicycle, limiting support to one side of a bicycle, requiring stooping or kneeling to operate, and requiring contact with the dirtiest parts of a bicycle.
Accordingly, while desirable results have been achieved, there is room for improvement. What is needed, therefore, is an improved portable bicycle stand.